AN: This is my first Fic so be nice, I'm open to criticism and I'm a huge Spuffy fan.

As she walked through the cemetery she secretly hoped to run into him. Buffy knew it was wrong but Spike made her feel…different. Alive. After the summer she had had she needed that feeling.

"Hey there luv." Spike walked up behind her. He'd been watching her trying to think of a way to start this conversation. They had not spoken sense he left to Africa.

"Spike! What are you doing here?" Stupid question!

"I live here luv."

"Right" She turned away from those blue eyes, "I…Where have you been?"

"Nowhere" Just tell her! "Um…you want to…I d'no talk or something" Shit, you ARE turning in to a poof! Just kiss her or something.

"Sure," What's with the small talk? Just Kiss ME!

As if reading her mind Spike walked up to her and kissed her, timidly at first but feeling her need he deepened the kiss. Spike ran his hand through her hair and under her blouse. His fingers brushed passed her breast, she shivered.

She loved the way he made her body react to his touch; she knew that she held the same power over him. She broke the kiss needing to look into his eyes…there was something there… something new…something human.

"Oh God! I got to go" With out a glance back she darted off in to the night.

"Damn it" Spike was back in his crypt "I knew I should have told her."

There was no doubt why she ran off like that she knew. Guilt ran through him and everything came flooding back the pain. The pain he had caused, the pain he could now feel the full effect of now that he had a soul.

"His soul! He has his soul," She sat on the edge of Willows bed tears treating to fall.

"He does? Wow, what's wrong with that?"

"I don't know, but…" now I can love him without guilt…not LOVE. "I don't know."

"Buffy…" Spike knocked on the Summer's front door "Buffy please open up! We need to talk"

She heard him but ignored, this was too much he had a soul and he didn't tell her. Did he trust her?

Angel walked through the silent streets of Sunnydale; he could feel the evil all around. He was back, but he had to find Buffy they had to talk.

I t was almost sunrise Spike could feel it, he had 15 minutes.

"Buffy please!" The door opened slowly Spike hoped to see her. But it was Dawn. "Where's your sis?"

"She's in side, what did you do?" she spat at him.

"Nothing to be ashamed of" Not like last summer. Almost as if she read his mind she looked nervous, she backed away. "You know I'm sorry, I didn't know what I was doing. I'm different now"

Dawn relaxed pity etched across her face "You should go, sunrise is in 15 minutes" she shut the door behind her.

Angel began to feel nervous sunrise was in 15 minutes.

"Did he leave?" Buffy asked as her sister entered the room.

"Yes" Dawn waited a second before talking "Why won't you talk to him? You know that he was under a spell when he tried to…to…last summer. Willow told you, and he's helped so much been there for you and me." She realized she had been yelling at her sister, "He said he was sorry for what ever he did this time."

Dawn stopped maybe she was defending the wrong person she didn't know what he did.

Angel stared at the front door, Knock you idiot. He could feel the sun start to come up from behind the trees.

Knock! Knock!

He smelled something, it was familiar but he couldn't place it.

He heard foot steps running down the stairs the lock clicked the door swung open.

"Spike!"

"No" His smile faded "Not quiet"

"Oh…Angel!" she stared

"Can I come in…?" The sun was almost over the trees.

"Of course" Buffy pulled him in.

"What are you doing here? It's not another apocalypse…is it?"

"Nope" He knew the smell now it was Spike and it was everywhere. "Not this time." No this time he came for her.

"Why are you here then?" she hadn't meant to sound rude but it was Angel here in Sunnydale.

"Well…" Here goes nothing. "We can be together now…?"

"What?!"

"I have been living in LA and about a month ago I ran into this old wizard. He said that her could help me with my happiness clause, I turned it down at first but, Cordy, talked me into it. So the guy did it, it was pretty damn painful but…well worth it. Yet…it's too late isn't it? You're in love, but not with me."

Buffy was taken aback, no, no, no not with Spike. "No…maybe…I don't know…I need to think."

"Ok…I can't really go…"

"you can have the basement"

"Fine…"

She took him to the basement stairs; he leaned forward and kissed her sweetly on the lips.

"What was I thinking?" Spike sat in the corner of his crypt talking to himself. "What did you think she wouldn't see it?"

He loved her no doubt but could she love him really. Only hell could tell. One minute she says she needs him…the next she says to Bugger off.

Knock! Knock!

Who the Hell! "Come in!" the latch was opened and Dawn slipped in. "Bit? Whatcha' doin' here? Big sis wont be to happy."

Dawn wrinkled her nose the crypt was littered with bottles and smelt like smoke and leather. "Angel's back" she said tentatively "He was talking to Buffy, something about his soul."

Spike looked up at Dawn and nodded in understanding "So the poof got himself a permanent soul, well I'm happy for him… both of them." He put a bright fake smile on.

"No, she hasn't said yes to him yet she said she's thinking." She yelled at the vampire. Tears starting to form in her eyes. He came towards her slowly not wanting to over step the boundaries. But she ran to him hugging him, he held her feeling tears in his eyes. He had to get Buffy back.

Buffy sat at her bedroom window looking across town. She could see the grave yard from there, only a speck. "Dawn could you come here for a minute?" she called to the next room. She needed sister time, but there was no answer. "Dawn?" She walked over to the room but it was empty.

Buffy looked around the house, but she knew in her mind where her sister had gone. "Spike."

"Dawn" Buffy kicked the crypt door down she wasn't in the mood to deal with doors. The room was empty no Dawn and no Spike. Maybe he never made it back to the crypt before sunrise this morning? She hated it but she was worried. Then it came to her… Maybe he killed himself? "Spike!" She ran from the crypt to the nearest tunnel. "Spike! Dawn!" she could feel the tears start to fall.

It had been a long time and it was almost sunset Buffy was tired and weak from crying, she needed to get home and think about where Dawn could be.

She ran to the house, up the stairs and into her room. There she was Dawn was sitting on the edge of the bed. "Where were you?"

"Where was I? I have been looking for you for 3 hours" Dawn answered back. "You were gone when I got back"

"I needed sister time." She started to cry "I don't know what to do…"

"Buffy, stop crying and look at me!" she did stop surprised at the harsh tone out of her sister. "That's better, now lets think logically. Angels back, right? And her still feels for you… but she did leave you for LA when things got tough, but he did go through a lot to get the soul thing. Ok?" Buffy nodded unable to speak. "Now Spike… he was evil, yet he still helped you when you needed it with Angelus… but he did come back to Sunnydale when you told him not to…he did stay with me though when you died…and he has a soul, for you. Yes I know about the soul" Dawn finished "Buffy it's your choice, I know who was there for me but who will stay there for you?"

"Wow! When did you get so smart?" She hugged her.

"Last summer with Spike. I'll leave you to think, I love you."

"Love you too, Dawn."

Angel woke up in Buffy's basement, the sun was down and someone had opened the back door. He got up and stretched taking an unnecessary yawn, and headed to the door stepping into the night air. His mind wondered on the choice Buffy was going to make, before he came he thought that it was no problem; she would run into his arms. He loved her…or so he thought. It had been so long sense he'd seen her, she was still beautiful, still strong, but there was something missing from both sides.

He had lived in LA for three years and in that time maybe he had grown apart. Too far to mend the broken hearts, he sat on the stairs outside. He was confused; he had loved her so long it was impossible to think that someone could take her place…but maybe…Cordy.

Spike watched Angel sitting on the back steps. He wanted to hit the great pansy for trying to take Buffy away. Still he was grateful that she hadn't made her decision yet… he could still win her.

"Angel, so how's death in the big city?" Spike left his hiding spot sure Angel already knew he was there.

"Spike, I can see you fit in real well in these parts, the Hell mouth and all," Angel looked directly at Spike. "But I hear you've turned a corner stone, followed my example and got your self a soul."

"For your information I fought long and hard for this soul, no one had to force it into me. Mine also doesn't have an expiration date…but I hear you got that fixed. No more Angelus…not like I'll miss the mass murderer, but he was a hell of a lot more fun than 'stick up you ass', Angel." He gave him his finest smirk.

"It's nice to see you too, spike. But just to remind you I had her long before you." Spike flinched at the words and struck hitting Angel in the jaw. Angel kicked Spike in the ribs. He fell to the ground and Angel tackled him. They rolled over each other hitting and kicking any possible place they could find. "Besides, she could never love you…and you know it."

"She can and does!"

"Oh yeah! Has she told you that, actually said 'Spike, I love you'?" Spike's eyes clouded, he jumped up and ran off into the night. "Didn't think so." He brushed off and stood up. He headed into the house seeing a note on the counter.

We are at the Bronze!

Dawn

He headed out.

Buffy had heard the conversation outside and seen the fight. Angel and Spike were never the best of friends she knew the fight was inevitable, but what was making this choice so hard. Spike has a soul. A voice told her. He wouldn't have been an option otherwise…nor would he?

Angel entered the familiar setting of the Bronze, it had been a while but I brought back fond memories. He saw Xander and walked over to the table.

"Angel! It's been a while" Xander said scooting over to make room.

"Yeah, it has. How's life?"

"Well this is…" indicating to Anya "my fiance"

"Congratulations"

"Thank you, you weren't invited to the wedding, but you can still get me a nice present." Anya said.

"Anya!" Xander said under his breath

"Oh and Xander he wants a present too."

Xander looked apologetic, "Hey Anya, want to dance?" Before an answer he pulled her out to the dance floor.

"Hello Angel," Willow sat in Xander's now empty seat.

"Hey Will, How's it going?" He had heard about last summer and the 'evil Willow' from Wesley.

"Ok I guess" she looked into her drink. "You? How is LA.?"

"Good." the table went silent.

Buffy went for a walk she had to clear her head, she didn't know where but she had to go away from the house.

Spike waited by the door of the Bronze, he had to talk to Buffy and this is where she would be, with her friends. This was the only place he could think she would want to be.

It was strange, her walk was to nowhere yet she found her self at Spikes place. She knocked gently but there was no answer she knew he was a live now from the fight, but she had to tell him…she loved him.

"Oh my god, I love him" she dared the thought to replay in her head, the more she thought about it the more it seemed to be true. He was sweet, kind, trustworthy, loyal, and not to mention damn hot. Yes, Angel was he first love but he had left and Spike stayed around. She really did love him. She kicked the door open. "No." she whispered. The Crypt was cleared out all he stuff was gone.

"Bugger this" Spike stalked away from the Bronze and got onto his motorcycle. His stuff was gone, sold, he had $537 in his pocket and he left

.

"He couldn't have left" Buffy said to her self, "I know he was upset but…" she knew in her heart he was gone and it was her fault. She ran to the Bronze maybe her friends knew.

She entered the club seeing Angel right off.

"Buffy!" He called to her.

"Hey," she looked around.

"You are looking for someone?"

"Yeah, Spike have you seen him?"

he debated on telling her he had seen him outside. "Yes, he was outside the door but he left. Seemed pissed."

"Pissed?" She was worried she ran toward the exit and Angel right behind her. Before she had the chance to look for Spike a scream sounded in the ally behind the Bronze